Credit: NewtownPANow.com
Both candidates for the Eighth District Congressional race announced major endorsements on Thursday.
Democratic State Rep. Steve Santarsiero of Lower Makefield announced he was endorsed by prominent gun safety group Americans for Responsible Solutions and Republican Brian Fitzpatrick of Middletown stood before reporters to announce the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) was throwing their support behind him.
The bipartisan Americans for Responsible Solutions backed Santarsiero after backing current Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, who is Brian Fitzpatrick’s brother, during the 2014 election. The group was started by former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, a Democrat, and her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, after the congresswoman was shot during a 2011 assassination attempt.
“I am honored to have the support of Americans for Responsible Solutions – an organization that knows we can both respect the Second Amendment rights of gun-owners while also ensuring that we adopt common sense gun safety measures that save lives,” Santarsiero said in a statement.
“Although Mike Fitzpatrick showed a willingness to work in a bipartisan manner to stop gun violence, Brian Fitzpatrick is clearly more interested in showing fealty to the gun lobby and the Republican Party bosses that recruited him to move to Pennsylvania to run for his brother’s seat than in working across the aisle to protect the families of Bucks and Montgomery Counties,” Santarsiero campaign manager Eric Goldman said.
Santarsiero has previously made gun safety a major point of his congressional campaign. In recent years, the state representative has introduced a bill to close the background check loophole and helped craft a proposal in Harrisburg to stop anyone on the federal terrorist watch list from purchasing a firearm.
Brian Fitzpatrick speaking about his FOP endorsement Thursday in Wrightstown.
Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com
The FOP endorsement for Fitzpatrick, a retired supervisory FBI special agent, came with the backing of the Bucks County FOP Lodge 53 and Montgomery County FOP Lodge 14. The news was announced Thursday at the Bucks County FOP’s lodge in Wrightstown.
Bucks County FOP representative Bob Bray, a retired Falls Township officer, said he was part of the committee who met with Fitzpatrick and believes he is the best candidate to protect the district and the families that live in it. He added that Fitzpatrick understood and could handle dealing with the drug addiction which grips the district and the threat of terrorism.
“As a member of the law enforcement community – both as a prosecutor and a FBI agent – I know first-hand the vital importance our police play in keeping our communities safe and appreciate the selfless service they carry out each day,” Fitzpatrick said. In addition, Fitzpatrick, who was flanked by several retired police officers, stated he would help enact policies to help curb crime and keep America safe if elected.
Following the press conference, Fitzpatrick privately met with FOP members and did not take questions from reporters.
Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com
State FOP President Les Neri wrote in an endorsement letter about Fitzpatrick: “Your promise to give law enforcement the tools necessary to protect its citizens, desire to protect our borders and vision for everyone to work as a team for the good of all Americans, are the reasons we stand with great pride in support of you.”
Aaron Clark, Fitzpatrick’s spokesperson, explained to LevittownNow.com that the retired FBI special agent plans to tackle the drug problem impacting our region and nation by taking a multi-faceted approach. He added that Fitzpatrick’s law enforcement experience as a federal agent and an assistant prosecutor gives him a unique understanding of the issue.
The Eighth District Congressional race is among one of the most watched in the nation. Both parties have hope that their candidate can take the seat this November.
